Agencies open NSA dispute resolution portal, update guidance

The departments of Health and Human Services, Treasury and Labor today opened the online portal where health care providers and health plans can initiate the dispute resolution process for certain out-of-network medical bills under the No Surprises Act interim final rule that took effect in January. Interested parties must initiate the process within four business days after the 30-business-day open negotiation period concludes, or 15 business days from today if the claim’s open negotiation period concluded more than four days ago. 

The agencies also have opened the online portal through which uninsured and self-pay patients may initiate the patient-provider dispute resolution process related to good faith estimates; and updated their guidance for IDR entities and disputing parties to align with a federal court ruling in February that struck down certain parts of the rule related to the arbitration process for determining out-of-network payments.